Chronicles of the Puella Magi 1st
by Foxtrot0220
Summary: RvB/PMMM crossover. In an alternate universe, Madoka is living in the future. Inspired to fight to protect those she loves, she enlists in the UNSC. However, little does she know that her assigned role, a "Puella Magi", and the outpost she's being sent to, the PM 1st at Blood Gulch, will completely shatter her expectations and open a new chapter in her previously uneventful life.
1. Chapter 1: Why Are We Here?

Chapter 1: "Why are we here?"

_A/N: Hello, I'm Foxtrot0220. Originally, I made this Fanfiction account to support a friend, but I've decided to try my hand at writing something. I consider myself to be analytically-minded and more of an editor than a writer, but hopefully I can improve upon the latter over time. If you want to read a great story, my friend "Shades 0f Dawn" is a very talented writer and has written a few PMMM fan-fictions. She, another friend (XP Flipside), and I make up what we like to call the "Foxborough Trifecta." We're all competitive and relish competing with each other in everything, so we'll see if I can catch up to her on the writing battleground._

_I'm a fan of Rooster Teeth and PMMM, so I decided to take the best of both worlds and combine them into a crossover (which, I don't know has been done before). The PMMM characters were assigned to their roles based on my judgement. Even though this story will be very RvB-based, I plan on taking some liberties for characterization/consistency's sake. It's like a battle between sticking to the original RvB script and keeping the PMMM characters in-character. And hopefully my story will be different enough to keep things interesting._

_I don't know how far I'll take this, but I suppose we'll see how diligent I can be. Of course, I'd greatly appreciate it if you let me know if this is something you're interested in me continuing._

_RvB and PMMM belong to their respective owners._

* * *

The United Nations Space Command.

Madoka had always regarded that name with a childish awe. Ever since she had first seen their breathtakingly titanic spaceships cruising through the futuristic skyline, with her palms and nose pressed up against her sunrise-stained bedroom window as she watched the spectacular fleet sail by, she made up her mind to enlist as a soldier. The idea of protecting your homeland and bringing hope to humanity seemed like such a noble cause.

The journey certainly wasn't easy. Despite the ever-present UNSC recruitment paraphernalia, not many people enlisted, much less young girls. As such, Madoka's parents had initially resisted her dream. Then came the difficult application and screening process, which was used to weed out the hopeful recruits that simply weren't up to the demanding task. But after months of convincing her reluctant parents, studying for exams, trudging through arduous classes, and slugging it out through brutal training camps with sheer determination and willpower, Madoka's hard work had finally paid off. She was finally a UNSC soldier.

_"Kaname Madoka, of the current UNSC graduating class. Please step forwards."_

Madoka's heart had soared when she stepped onto the steel walkway and boarded her first-ever spaceship. Everything she had gone through was just for this moment. Tearfully waving farewell to her friends and family, she began her journey into the vast, unknown frontier of space. And then, just when things seemed like they couldn't have gotten any better, Madoka's commanding officer had assigned her to her first mission.

Madoka was to be assigned as a "Puella Magi." Upon her inquiry, she was told that these special combat units were designed to complement the ODSTs. Yet, the Puella Magi combat unit was still a relatively new idea, and still had some tests to undergo. As a result, she was to be stationed at the Puella Magi 1st outpost. When the spaceship had landed at her designated base, an optimistically smiling Madoka had walked out into...

...a box canyon in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by rust-red walls. Without any further explanation, the spaceship had promptly taken off, leaving her there without the slightest clue of what to do next, other than the words: _Defeat the blue team__._

She was still reeling from disbelief, even now.

At present, Madoka was standing on top of the small, circular base. The unbearably sweltering heat beat down on her head and shoulders like a sauna, but after weeks, she had gotten used to it. And luckily, she wasn't wearing a full suit of armor. For whatever reason, there was a shortage of armor and ammunition at the outpost. Madoka was wearing a pink and red chest-piece that felt ten times too big and heavy for her, and the armor for her left arm. The other girl that stood nearby had both leg-pieces and the armor for her right arm. Madoka almost giggled when she realized that together, they'd make a complete set.

Madoka tentatively looked at the other girl standing watch over the base. She was lithe-looking, with crimson-red hair that accented nicely with her fiery orange armor. Her pistol was lazily dangling from her fingertips. Working up the courage, Madoka timidly turned to her companion. Finally, she opened her mouth to talk. "H-Hey."

The scarlet-haired girl shrugged her acknowledgement. She looked Madoka up and down, as if sizing her up. "Yeah?" She finally grunted.

"Do you ever wonder why we're here?" Madoka asked in an attempt at a friendly, casual conversation.

The reaction she received took her by surprise. Leaping closer, the other girl jumped on the opportunity to answer. "It's one of life's greatest mysteries, isn't it? Why _are _we here?" She kept talking faster and faster, and her eyes glittered excitedly, despite her previously antisocial demeanor. "I mean, are we the product of some cosmic coincidence, or is there really a god watching everything? Y'know, with a plan for us and stuff. I don't know, but it keeps me up at night."

"..." Madoka was at a loss at how to respond, so she awkwardly fidgeted.

"..." The other girl looked just as equally confused.

"Um, I'm sorry." A cowed Madoka apologized. "I meant, why are we out _here_, in this canyon?"

Realizing her misunderstanding, the other girl blushed and turned away. "Oh, uh... yeah."

"...What was that stuff you were talking about?" Madoka asked, slightly curious.

"Hm?" The crimson-haired girl kept her tone light and casual. "Oh, um, nothing. Just stuff my dad used to say."

"Do... you want to talk about it?" Madoka asked sympathetically.

"No." Was the swift response.

"...Are you sure?"

"...Yeah."

"I'm Madoka by the way." Madoka timidly smiled and held out her hand to shake. "I hope we get along well."

"Sakura Kyouko. But you can just call me Kyouko. Pleased to meetcha', Madoka." Kyouko grinned as she enthusiastically accepted the friendly gesture, looking just as happy to have made a friend as Madoka was.

Madoka beamed. Then, she turned her attention back to her unusual surroundings. "But why _are _we here? As far as I can tell, it's just a box canyon in the middle of nowhere, with no way in or out."

"Uh-huh." Kyouko thoughtfully nodded.

"And the only reason we set up a red base here is because they have a blue base over there." Madoka pointed across the canyon where, barely visible, was another structure that looked the exact same as the one the duo were currently standing upon. "And the only reason they have a blue base over there is because we have a red base here."

"Well yeah, that's 'cuz we're fighting each other." Kyouko slowly reasoned.

"No, no," Madoka vigorously shook her head. "But I mean, even if we were to pull out today, and they were to come take our base, they would have two bases in the middle of a box canyon."

"Yeah, what's up with that anyways?" Kyouko indignantly demanded in agreement. "I mean, I signed on to fight some aliens. Next thing I know, some guy named "Master Chief" blew up the whole Covenant armada and I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere, fighting a bunch of blue guys."

* * *

Homura smirked. She was crouching in the shade of a cliff, away from the heat and enjoying her time. From the looks of it, the red team had gotten a new recruit. And she looked very promising...

Delicately running her fingers along her precious 99C-S2 Sniper Rifle, Homura scoped in on the red base, eyeing the two girls on top. Her gaze panned from the crimson-haired girl to the pink-haired one, lingering on the latter for a while longer than what seemed necessary. The pink-haired girl's innocent face and bright smile had completely caught Homura's attention. Then, looking at the girl's childishly curved body, Homura began slowly zooming in on a particular spot-

"What are they doing?"

Homura frowned, remembering that she wasn't alone to enjoy herself. Her sudden addressor, none other than a certain blue-haired girl, stared at her with haughty eyes. "What do you want?" Homura glowered as she reluctantly lowered her sniper rifle.

"I said what are they doing now?" Came Sayaka's obliviously impatient question.

"Goddamn, I'm getting so sick of answering that question!" Homura snapped, growing impatient herself with the constant pestering. It took every ounce of her self-control to restrain herself from kicking her bothersome companion over the cliff-face.

Sayaka put her hands squarely on her hips and pouted. "Hey, you're the one with the rifle! I can't see anything! Don't get pissed at me because I'm not gonna just sit up here and play with my-"

"Okay, okay," Homura hurriedly and exasperatedly interrupted. "Look. They're just standing there, and talking, okay? That's _all_ they're doing! That's all they _ever_ do, is just stand there and talk! That's what they were doing last week, and that's what they were doing when you asked me five minutes ago. So five minutes from _now_, when you ask me 'What're they doing?', my answer's still going to be '_They're still just talking, and they're still just standing there_!'"

Sayaka blankly stared at an irritated, seething Homura. Then: "...What are they talking about?"

"You know what? I hate you."

* * *

"Talk about a waste of resources, right?"

Madoka hesitantly nodded. "Y-Yeah..."

Kyouko shrugged. "I mean, we should be out there finding new and intelligent forms of life. You know, fight _them_!"

"R-Right..."

"And maybe _we _should be in charge!" Kyouko exclaimed zealously.

"Well, I don't really know about that-"

A certain golden-haired girl emerged from underneath the base, looking up at Madoka and Kyouko with an authoritative look. Her voice was no less lenient. "Everyone, front and center on the double!"

Already knowing where this was going, Kyouko winced and groaned. "Ugh, yes ma'am!"


	2. Chapter 2: Red Gets a Delivery

Chapter 2: Red Gets a Delivery

* * *

UNSC Puella Magi 1st Output, otherwise known as "Blood Gulch", was a landscape of two sharply contrasting terrains. The pedantic flatness of the dusty earth around the two bases was like a scornful reproach to the rolling grassy hills in the middle of the outpost. The latter gave an impression of life, but it was only an illusion. No plants or animals inhabited the deserted area. Like thin lips, cliffs jutted out from Mars-colored walls that stretched up to touch the scorching sun.

As Madoka ran across the dusty plain with Kyouko in tow, she gulped, feeling how dry her throat was. It was hot today, but everyday here at Blood Gulch was hot. Salt from Madoka's sweat stung her eyes, and her damp clothes uncomfortably stuck to her skin. The bulky armor certainly didn't make matters any better. Madoka would have gone back into the base for a refreshing drink, if only the amount of clean water left wasn't so dangerously low.

"What I wouldn't do for a nice, clean shower…" Kyouko grumbled under her breath, and Madoka nodded her heartfelt agreement. "Or some good food. I'll bet that the crap we have to eat everyday is shaving off years from our lifespan."

_How come we have so little rations, armor, and ammunition?_ A confused Madoka thought to herself. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made. _Shouldn't the UNSC be more concerned about us? Aren't we supposed to be an important unit, after all?_

A blonde girl, slightly older than the two soldiers currently scrambling to get in position, was silently waiting by the front of the red base. Sergeant Tomoe Mami, commander of the red team. She was supposedly a veteran of the UNSC despite her relatively young age, but her looks didn't show any signs of that fact. Her face still held a youthful pallor and her body was well-shaped like a woman's, not muscular or lean in any aspect.

Mami cast a disapproving eye towards Kyouko and Madoka. When she spoke, her voice was soft, yet commanding and attention-grabbing. "Hurry up ladies. This isn't an ice-cream social."

A confused look crossed Madoka's face. "...Ice-cream social?" She hesitantly repeated, making sure she had heard correctly.

A yearning, mouth-watering look shaded Kyouko's face. "Ice-cream social?" She eagerly echoed, making sure she had heard correctly.

Both Madoka and Kyouko looked at each other, trading a befuddled frown with a hopeful grin. "Kyouko-chan, you're drooling…" Madoka pointed out to her dreamy companion.

Clearing her throat, Mami crossed her arms. "Stop the pillow talk you two." She sharply commanded. When she had gotten their attention, she inhaled and paused for dramatic effect. "Anyone want to guess why I gathered you here today?"

Still looking hopeful, Kyouko ventured her guess. "Is it because the war's over and you're sending us home?"

Mami rolled her eyes. "That's _exactly_ it, Private Sakura Kyouko. The war's over. We _won_. It turns out _you're_ the big hero, and we're going to hold a parade in your honor. I get to drive the float, and Madoka-chan here is in charge of the confetti."

Kyouko frowned. "I'm no stranger to sarcasm, ma'am."

"Then _shut _it, or else I'll give Madoka-chan your rations for the next few days." Was the succinct retort.

Startled, Madoka blinked. "...Huh?" She looked from Mami to Kyouko, the former of whom was glaring disapprovingly at the latter, and began to wonder if they didn't like each other. At least, it certainly didn't look like Mami was particularly fond of Kyouko. "Is she mad?" Madoka whispered to a sullen Kyouko.

Kyouko shrugged and whispered back: "I don't think she's still gotten over the last time I stole her food."

Madoka was taken aback at her friend's lack of respect. It was a crime to disobey military orders, wasn't it? "Why would you do something like that?" She asked incredulously.

A faint, daring grin etched itself on Kyouko's lips much to Madoka's dismay. "Well, what can I say? That 'officers-only' canned beef just happened to be calling out my name-"

"Anyhow, I have big news for you two-" Mami continued, interrupting Kyouko and shooting her a stern, patronizing look. "Command notified me about a shipment that just arrived here at Puella Magi 1st Outpost." The blonde sergeant gestured behind her and stepped away, revealing a...

"Shotgun!" Kyouko excitedly exclaimed the instant she saw the vehicle. She tried to run over and hop in the passenger seat, until Mami quickly grabbed and held her like a cat, preventing the restless girl from doing any harm.

"Shot-... what? Where?" Madoka blankly looked around for the offending weapon.

Mami proudly smirked, put her hands on her hips, and began to speak like an advertiser boasting about a product. "May I introduce our new light reconnaissance vehicle." She pointed at the vehicle as Madoka and Kyouko attentively ran their eyes over the exterior in silent admiration. This was, after all, one of the few things Command had ever sent them. It was like a Christmas present to the Red team in the middle of July. "It has four inch armor plating, buffer suspension, a mounted machine gunner position, and total seating for three. Ladies, this is the M12-LRV! I like to call it the warthog."

"She always has a weird habit of naming things." Kyouko whispered to Madoka as an aside. "Just before you arrived, she named her shotgun _"Tiro Finale!" _or something strange like that. I caught her practicing her finishing move in front of the mirror one night."

"Why warthog?" Madoka asked out loud, unable to contain her curiosity at the peculiar name.

At first, Mami didn't understand her subordinate's question. "Because M12-LRV is too hard to say in a conversation, Madoka-chan." She calmly explained.

"No, but... why _'Warthog_'?" Kyouko asked, chiming in. "I mean, it doesn't really look like a pig..."

Mami tilted her head to make sure she had heard right. Was she being... questioned? Doubted? "Come again?"

Kyouko eyed the M12-LRV with a contemplative expression. "I think it looks more like a puma." She finally stated, nodding to make it clear that she was satisfied with the name she had settled upon.

"What's a puma?" Mami asked, frowning in disbelief.

"Uh... you mean like the shoe company?" Madoka tried to help.

Kyouko shook her head. "No, like a puma. It's a big cat. Like a lion." As she began using her finger to draw the basic outline of the animal in the air to elucidate her point, Mami and Madoka turned to each other with doubtful expressions. Then, they looked back at Kyouko.

"...You're making that up, aren't you?" Mami demanded.

Kyouko waved her hands frantically. "I'm telling you, it's a real animal!"

Ignoring her agitated crimson-haired subordinate, Mami drew Madoka aside and began whispering in her ear. "Madoka-chan, I want you to hide Kyouko's dinner rations tonight."

"Um... But-"

Mami walked over to the M12-LRV and promptly patted the steel-plated hood with a loud 'thud'. "Look, see these two tow hooks?" With an authoritative air, she pointed at the bottom of the posterior as Kyouko's eyes followed. "They look like tusks. And _what _kind of animal has tusks?"

Kyouko thought for a moment. Then: "A walrus?"

"Didn't I _just _tell you to stop making up animals?!"

* * *

Homura scoped in through her sniper rifle, crouching to stay out of sight, and began examining the peculiar vehicle parked in front of the red base. It looked like a normal all-terrain jeep, but what worried Homura the most was the large turret mounted on the back. She zoomed in even further, trying to determine what kind of bullets it used, and how potentially dangerous it could be. The quiet rattling of armor beside her on the narrow cliff indicated that once again, Sayaka was fidgeting impatiently. Then, Homura felt a soft warmth press against her upper back and shoulders as the blue-haired soldier leaned over her, peering down below, to get a closer look.

"What is that thing?" Sayaka asked, pointing. She leaned over even further and rested her chin on Homura's head.

...Which the latter didn't particularly like. Irritated, Homura elbowed Sayaka in her unprotected side which earned her a sharp yelp of pain. "I don't know." Homura finally said, putting down the sniper rifle and standing up to stretch out her sore legs. She had been up on the cliff all day, and this vehicle was the first thing of importance she had seen. "But it looks like they have some kind of car down there. We should get back to base and report this."

Temporarily forgetting about the pain in her side and the follow-up jab that Homura clearly deserved, Sayaka shot her companion an incredulous look. "A car?" She repeated. "How come they get a car?"

Homura gestured for Sayaka to remain quiet, lest they be spotted. "What are you complaining about? We're supposed to get a tank in the next shipment from Command."

Reluctantly complying, Sayaka turned away and longingly gazed at the vehicle down below. "You can't look good in a tank..." She sullenly muttered under her breath.

Homura let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, you know what. You could complain about _anything_, couldn't you? We're going to get a tank. A _tank_! And you're worried about looking _good_. _Who_ are you trying to look good for?! And secondly, how would we even look good in a car that looks like _that_?!" Homura pointed at the oddly-built car as Sayaka's gaze followed.

"...Well, what kind of car is it?" Sayaka asked.

Homura scoped in through her sniper rifle. "I don't know. I've never seen a car that looks like that before." She admitted. "It looks like... like a big cat of some kind."

Sayaka frowned in thought. Again, she leaned forward and glumly nestled her chin on Homura's head out of sheer boredom. "...What, like a puma?"

Homura shrugged. "Yeah, there you go."

* * *

Mami crossed her arms. "So unless anybody else has any more mythical creatures to suggest as a name for the new vehicle, we're going to stick with the _'Warthog'_. How about it Kyouko?" She asked, turning to her long-since quieted subordinate.

Kyouko tiredly sighed. "No ma'am, no more suggestions." She muttered in compliance.

Mami raised an eyebrow at the crimson-haired girl's lack of spirit. "Are you sure? How about Bigfoot?" She suggested.

Kyouko shook her head. "That's okay."

"Unicorn?"

"No really… I'm cool."

"Sasquatch?"

"Leprechaun?" Madoka innocently chimed in.

Kyouko shot the pink-haired soldier a look. "Hey, she doesn't need any help."

"Phoenix?" Mami prodded.

Kyouko rolled her eyes. "Oh, for god's sake-!"

Mami turned to Madoka. "What's the name of that Mexican lizard that eats all of the goats?"

"That would be the Chupacabra, ma'am!" Madoka brightly answered.

A cunning smile twisted Mami's lips as she turned back to Kyouko, continuing her relentless attack. "Hey Kyouko, how about the Chupathingie? Actually, I like it! It has a nice ring to it…"


	3. Chapter 3: The Rookies

Chapter 3: The Rookies

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_It's already been a few weeks since I've arrived here at Puella Magi 1st Outpost. Not much has changed since then. Nothing really happens and it's always extremely hot, but Mami-san insists that I keep watch over the base on a daily basis. She's our commanding officer, by the way. She's a bit tough and strict, but I think that deep down, she has a big heart. ...Even towards Kyouko-chan. Kyouko-chan is my fellow peer. Both she and Mami have been here even longer than I have! They look like they don't get along, but I think that they do deep down._

_...Probably._

_I don't know much about either of them besides their names. Well, I guess I know that Mami-san seems to love her shotgun and secretly yells finishing moves like 'Tiro Finale!', and that Kyouko-chan loves food and snores loudly in her sleep. But I really don't know much about anything else. Like why I was stationed here, or what I'm supposed to do, or who the blue team is..._

_But anyways, I've been doing fine. The food here is pretty bad though, and it makes me long for my mom's cooking. I wonder how my friends and family are doing back home? I haven't been able to get in contact with them since I left-_

"Hey, Madoka-chan!"

Madoka's ears perked up to the sudden shout. She turned to see a waving Kyouko climbing up the ramp to the top of the base. As Kyouko approached closer, Madoka quickly pocketed the leather-bound notebook before she noticed it.

Kyouko skipped over and sat down next to Madoka on the edge of the roof. She held out the bulging bag she was carrying. "Here's your lunch rations."

"Thank you." Madoka politely smiled, accepting the offered food. She was about to take a bite when she realized that Kyouko's predatory gaze was still focused on the bread in her hands. Sighing, she ripped it in half and handed a piece to Kyouko - even though the crumbs on the redhead's cheek indicated that she had already helped herself anyways.

"Thanks, Madoka-chan! You're such a good girl!" Grinning, Kyouko reached over and lightly tussled Madoka's hair while simultaneously wolfing down her meal.

"Jeez, Kyouko-chan," Madoka frowned and placed her hands on her head to maintain her hair's usual style, but she couldn't help but smile. The more Madoka thought about it, the more Kyouko seemed like a small animal begging to be fed and played with. Like a cat. Maybe it was that endearing cuteness that prevented Mami from carrying out her usual threats.

As Madoka nibbled at the stale bread, she gazed into the vast barrenness of the canyon. Somewhere over the hill was the blue base, which supposedly housed the enemies. But there hadn't been any attacks since she had arrived. Madoka was beginning to doubt the seriousness of the whole outpost.

"I don't understand why we have to keep watch all the time," Madoka eventually said. She let out a glum sigh, swinging her legs back and forth restlessly. "I'm sure Mami-san knows what she's doing, but sometimes I wonder if there's some sort of misunderstanding. Maybe... we're the only ones here in this canyon."

No reply. Madoka curiously glanced over, only to see that Kyouko's head was shoved into a driving manual, like she could grasp its contents better if she scrunched up her face and put her eyes closer to the words. Mami had promised she'd let Kyouko drive the warthog if she passed a driving test. Ever since then, Kyouko had carried around the manual like a bible and stared at it during every opportunity.

Impatiently, Madoka leaned over and waved her hand in front of Kyouko's face to grab her attention. "Kyoukoo-chaaan!" She idly drawled.

"Hey!" A startled Kyouko exclaimed, blinking. "I was just in the middle of learning about the speaker system of the Puma. Don't interrupt me like that!"

Madoka took a quick glance down at the handbook. A poorly drawn sketch of a stick figure driving what appeared to be a box with square wheels was scrawled over the text. In the corner, a sun with sunglasses and a smiley face drawn in the middle was watching over.

"Yeah, it looks like you've been studying intensely." Madoka noted, struggling to bite back a giggle. "And it's _Warthog_, not _Puma_. Remember?" She added with a hint of amusement.

Kyouko laughed, shrugging off the lighthearted teasing as she brushed aside her ponytail. "Studying's never been my thing, y'know?" She said with an air of wistfulness. "Unfortunately, I'm not a good kid like you. We can't all be innocently hardworking people."

Madoka acknowledged Kyouko's indirect compliment with a small blush. "How did you become a Puella Magi then?" She asked to deflect her embarrassment.

Kyouko grinned, swelling out her chest proudly. "I passed all of the physical tests with flying colors. Top of my class, even. All of my teachers called me a once-in-a-generation physical specimen. Pretty awesome, isn't it?"

"I don't know if that's a compliment..."

Unconcerned, Kyouko shrugged. She lazily flicked a pebble off the roof and watched it clatter to the ground below. "Well anyways, that's why I was chosen."

Madoka nodded. "So why did you decide to become a Puella Magi?" She wondered out loud before she could stop herself. Truth be told, it was something she had always been wondering about. Kyouko certainly wasn't the type to willingly conform to the rigid military rules and conduct, if her relationship with Mami was any indication. But while she was inherently lazy, there must have been _something _she was passionate about back on earth.

Kyouko laughed again. But this time, her tone was softer and sounded more bitter. Her eyes glazed over with a faraway look - the same look Mami always got whenever she was asked about the time before becoming a Puella Magi. "I'd rather not talk about it." Kyouko eventually said, shaking her head to dispel the memories weighing down her spirits. "It's just some complicated stuff from my past."

"I see. I'm sorry for asking." Madoka said apologetically.

"Don't worry 'bout it." Kyouko waved it off nonchalantly. She eyed Madoka curiously, looking the pink-haired girl up and down. "But I don't understand why a bright kid like you would enlist in the UNSC." Kyouko admitted, shaking her head incredulously. "With your talents, you could've become a famous doctor or something else instead. You could've been making millions, safe back on earth."

"I came here to Puella Magi 1st Outpost to protect my country." Madoka proclaimed automatically.

"Oh, how patriotic." Kyouko snorted, but said nothing else.

Madoka sighed. "So, I've been wondering..."

"Yeah?" Kyouko prodded, though her attention was drawn to the remaining food in Madoka's hands.

"What exactly do we do around here?" Madoka gestured to the vast space around them. "I mean, besides playing cards or watching clouds all day?"

Kyouko shrugged. "My guess is as good as yours. It's not like I was told anything else either. Why, you wanna shoot targets again?"

Madoka rubbed her sore fingers as memories of frantically trying to figure out how to shoot a pistol the other day came rushing back. Actually shooting a weapon was certainly something her UNSC classes had skimmed over, despite being a seemingly essential skill of a soldier. "I'd rather not." Madoka eventually said as Kyouko returned to glaring at the driving manual. "Where's Mami anyways?"

"She's gone off to Command or something." Kyouko briefly answered with a wave of her hand. It was obvious she didn't care about _where _their commanding officer was as much as the fact that she was gone.

Madoka glanced at Kyouko, wondering how she could stay so carefree in this situation. Despite their current surroundings, they were still in a war zone. "Just so you know, she left _me_ in charge." Madoka reminded her lethargic companion. "So in case you're thinking about doing anything funny, she told me to-"

"I know, I know," Kyouko cleared her throat and stiffened her shoulders. "Git all my rations 'nd crush 'em with the Warthog like tomato cans."

Madoka couldn't help herself from giggling. "That's the worst impression ever." She retorted breathlessly, holding her sides to steady her breathing.

A lopsided grin etched itself on Kyouko's face. "Yeah, but you're still laughing anyways." She proudly pointed out.

"You know, there's another thing I've been wondering..." Madoka said after she had recovered her composure.

Kyouko raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Madoka lifted her arm, inspecting the armored gauntlet around her wrist and forearm, and frowned. She had just polished it yesterday, but all the canyon's dust had made it dirty again. "Why are our armor different colors? I mean, you're yellow, but Mami and I are red-"

"You're _maroon_ and pink." Kyouko quickly corrected. "And I'm not yellow. I'm _orange_." She added with a hint of prideful indignation.

"Oh." Madoka slowly nodded her understanding. "I just assumed everyone wore the standard issue red-colored armor."

Kyouko shook her head. "Only officers and recruits wear the standard issue armor."

"But I _am _a recruit." Madoka insisted. "So why did Mami-san give me this color?"

"Don't ask me. We've got such an incompetent leader." Kyouko sighed exasperatedly. "...I bet the blues don't have to put up with this crap."

* * *

The girl paced back and forth as her eyelashes delicately fluttered about. Her long snow-white hair swooped down over her shoulders and followed behind her pacing like a cape. Her chesnut-brown eyes sparkled with adventure and wonder, like the kind you would experience staring at a huge building or the sunset.

...Or a tank. Which is what she, Sayaka, and Homura were currently gawking at. The girl shifted uncomfortably in the ensuing silence. She looked up at Homura, then at Sayaka, then back at the tank. Finally, she opened her mouth to talk:

"...So I asked the mister, _'how're you gonna get the tank down to the planet?'_, and he goes _'I'll just put it on the ship.'_, and I go, _'if you've got a ship that can carry a_ _tank,__ why not just put guns on the ship and use it instead?'_-"

"Hey kid." Sayaka interrupted the avidly talking girl.

The white-haired girl stared up at Sayaka with innocent, wide eyes. "Yes?" She chirped.

Sayaka brought a finger to her lips. "You're kinda ruining the moment. Could you be quiet for a second?" She said, turning back to admire the tank once again.

"Oh..." The girl mumbled dejectedly. But it didn't take long for her optimistic spirits to revitalize. "Okay!" She obediently said. "Y-You got it, Sayaka-onee-chan!"

Both she and Sayaka turned to the sound of Homura laughing quietly under her breath.

"You know what?" Homura smirked, rubbing her hands together in glee. "I could blow up the whole _goddamn_ world with this thing."

* * *

As the sweltering sun's rays continued to beat down on the top of the base, time slowly limped by. Kyouko had long since abandoned the manual and was currently trying to nap on the roof. With each passing second, she was growing more and more irritated.

_Goddamn, I'm so bored..._ Kyouko groaned and tried to swat away the ever-pestering rays of sunlight from blinding her vision._ How can I pass the time while Mami isn't here? _She wondered to herself.

Just then, an idea crossed her mind. Rolling over, she reached out and shook a nearby sleeping Madoka on the shoulder. "Hey, Madoka-chan." She said with what she hoped was urgency. "Madoka-chan, wake up!"

"...Hmm? Whad ish it, Kyouko-chaaan?" Madoka sleepily drawled, rising from her nap with great reluctance. With drowsy, half-lidded eyes, she halfheartedly wiped at her mouth with her armored forearm to make sure she hadn't drooled in her sleep.

"Say, you're still a rookie, aren't you?" Kyouko hopefully asked.

Madoka blinked a couple of times to adjust her vision. Yawning, she stretched her arms over her head, exposing her stomach. "I guess..."

Kyouko leaned closer, dropping her voice to a hushed whisper. "Did Mami make you pass the test yet?"

If Madoka's attention wasn't riveted before, it certainly was now. "Test? What test?" Madoka demanded to know, as if worried that she hadn't completed some basic prerequisite.

To enhance her intended effect, Kyouko stared at Madoka like she couldn't believe that she didn't know what she was talking about. "Y'know, the training here."

"I studied all the UNSC guidelines and strategic manuals back in the classroom-"

"No, no, no," Kyouko shook her head. "That crap won't help you a bit out here in the real world. I'm talking about _real _training."

Madoka's eyes grew wide, and Kyouko knew that she had taken the bait. "Real training?" Madoka echoed in awe.

Kyouko grinned. "Yeah, see, I've got a very important mission for you. You think you can handle it?"

Madoka swelled out her chest. "Absolutely! If I can be of any help to you, that is!"

Kyouko pointed across the canyon. "I need you to go to the store and get two quarts of Elbow Grease. Oh, and pick up some Headlight Fluid for the Puma too."

"You mean the Warthog?" Madoka reminded her.

"Yeah, whatever." Kyouko eyed Madoka suspiciously as the latter wavered under the stare. "You _do _know where the store is, don't you? I mean, you should've learned that back in the classroom, didn't you?"

Madoka saluted, despite the fact that Mami had left her in charge. "S-Sure! Of course I do! No problem!" She stammered.

"Well, get going then!"

Startled into action, Madoka rigidly started marching away.

"Other way." Kyouko called out.

Madoka turned around on a dime and began walking in the other direction. "I knew that!" She insisted as she left. "I just got a little turned around. That's all!"

As Kyouko watched Madoka run off into the distance, she smirked. "She's a lot more gullible than I thought. I could have a lot of fun with her..."

* * *

Panting, Madoka continued running along the barren walls of the canyon. All the UNSC training hadn't quite prepared her for the stamina needed to run in this sweltering heat with several pounds of armor. When she had reached a distance far enough so that Kyouko couldn't see her anymore, she placed a hand on a rock for support and stopped to catch her breath.

"Elbow grease?" Madoka repeated in-between gasps, shaking her head in disbelief. "Jeez, how gullible does Kyouko-chan think I am? Once I get back to base with that headlight fluid, I'll tell Mami that I've completed my rookie training."

* * *

Sayaka stared at the tank, running her eyes up and down the plated exterior and cannon. "You know what?" She said, nudging Homura. "Forget what I said before. I can _definitely_ look good in this thing."

Homura sighed. "Oh, listen to you." She muttered under her breath. "Like I said, what good would that do anyways?"

Sayaka grinned, wrapping a friendly arm around Homura. "It's all about the thought, _Homura-chan_."

Homura glared at her excited companion. "Don't call me _Homura-chan_."

The girl leaned over to peek in the cockpit of the tank, almost falling in. "Is there any cheese around here?"

* * *

Pacing restlessly, Kyouko stopped just long enough to look in the direction Madoka had gone. She folded her arms and sighed, trying to quell her jittery nerves and she eyed the Warthog in the corner of her vision.

"She'll be fine, won't she?" Kyouko muttered to herself. "I mean... what's the worst that could happen anyways?"

* * *

The structure that appeared around the next corner - one that looked almost exactly like the red base - was like a godsend to Madoka. In her lost and confused state, she didn't for a second consider the notion that it was anything but the store Kyouko had mentioned. With a newfound optimism, she smiled and began running towards it.

"Finally, there it is!" Madoka exclaimed, dashing into the open field. "And they sell tanks too!"


End file.
